In lieu of the recent influx of articles examining the academic side of Stephen Colbert and ‘The Colbert Report’ Remy Maisel and Sophia A. McClennen have written a piece for The Huffington Post asking ‘Is it Stupid to Study Colbert?’
Again and again, Colbert has been called out for not staying within the bounds of his role as a comedian and entertainer. But now, it seems, he’s really overstepped. He’s become the subject of study at our nation’s universities with books and articles and classes dedicated to him. This guy just can’t be stopped!
Just look at all of these Colbert books:
Academic attention to Colbert, in general, stems from the idea that what he is doing is politically insightful, socially relevant, and artistically complex.
You don’t just study Colbert to help his fans “get” his show. You study his work to understand the role it has played in a unique historical moment, one that has witnessed the rise of corporate influence over politics, the atmosphere of post-9/11 fear-mongering, and a new era in news media where spectacle and sensationalism often overshadow reporting of accurate and appropriate information.
The subjects of Colbert’s satire cover the range of pressing social issues facing us today. And his distinctive satirical style teaches viewers that logic, reason, and facts have been increasingly replaced by punditry, hubris, and false arguments. Moreover, he has redefined the parameters of what it means to be a public intellectual and a socially invested entertainer.
The point is Colbert is much more than a media phenomenon, a hilarious entertainer, and a charismatic iconoclast. Do you need to study Colbert to “get” him? Probably not. But if you are interested in diving more deeply into his satire and its social impact or if you are curious about how his comedy reflects contemporary issues facing our nation, it might not be so stupid to study him after all.
Full Article: The Huffington Post.
What do you think Hubsters. Is it stupid to study Colbert? Have you read any of the academic texts or taken any of the college courses offered that examine Stephen and/or The Report? If your academic institute offered these courses would you take them?
Is it Stupid to Study Colbert?
In lieu of the recent influx of articles examining the academic side of Stephen Colbert and ‘The Colbert Report’ Remy Maisel and Sophia A. McClennen have written a piece for The Huffington Post asking ‘Is it Stupid to Study Colbert?’
What do you think Hubsters. Is it stupid to study Colbert? Have you read any of the academic texts or taken any of the college courses offered that examine Stephen and/or The Report? If your academic institute offered these courses would you take them?